Who You Are Matters More Than What You Do

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share something special with you - I recently sat down with Sam Huntington and Stephen Cunningham for the Hill Climbers Show, and it turned into one of those conversations that reminded me why authentic connection matters so much.

How It Started

I was introduced to Sam thinking we'd talk cycling and business. What I didn't expect was sitting down for an hour and a half and immediately diving into the real stuff - family, purpose, mental health, and what it actually costs to build something meaningful.

Sam said something that resonated deeply: "It's pretty rare these days to sit down with someone you don't know well and just get right into what matters." He's right. We skipped the small talk and got real about the journey - both on and off the bike.

The woom Story

In the episode, I share how my brother Marcus and his partner Christian started woom in a Vienna garage in 2013, solving a problem every cycling parent faces: why are we setting our kids up for failure with heavy, poorly designed bikes during one of the most important physical milestones of their lives?

I talk about my journey from selling 13 bikes in 2014 to building a global operation - and I keep it real about what that took: 30 trips to Vienna in 18 months, navigating divorce while running a multinational company, and ultimately burning out after running a 10-year time trial.

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The Austin Connection

The Hill Climbers community represents everything I love about Austin. From those early Mellow Johnny's group rides to connecting with people like Sam who create space for meaningful conversations - this city has been fundamental to both woom's story and my personal journey.

Seeing the next generation of Austin kids (like Sam's son Art) discover the joy of cycling on woom bikes never gets old. We're literally seeding the future of this cycling community, one bike at a time.

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What's Next

The most important lesson I've learned is this: who you are matters more than what you do. That realization has shaped my next chapter.

I'm now focused on giving back through:

• Birthing of Giants - coaching CEOs and business leaders to scale their companies while maintaining what matters most
• SKU Accelerator - mentoring early-stage consumer product entrepreneurs
• The Reclaim Code - supporting divorced business leaders through the most difficult transition of their lives

I want to help others avoid the mistakes I made and build businesses and lives that don't cost them everything.

Listen to the Episode

If any of this resonates with you, I encourage you to listen to the full conversation. Sam and Stephen have created something special with Hill Climbers - a show that goes beyond surface-level business talk and explores what it really means to build a meaningful life.

​Watch it here on Youtube​

And if you're in Austin, join the Hill Climbers community. Sign up for their newsletter for episodes, rides, and events: https://www.hill-climbers.com/​

Let's Connect

If you're a founder, CEO, or business leader navigating growth, transition, or personal challenges, I'd love to connect. Sometimes the most valuable thing we can do is have a real conversation with someone who's been there.

Onward,

Mathias

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P.S. - Big thanks to Sam Huntington and Stephen Cunningham for creating space for authentic conversations. This is what community is supposed to feel like.

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About Mathias

Mathias Ihlenfeld is father of Luca (13) and Sofia (11) and an award-winning entrepreneur and the Austin, TX Cohort Leader and Coach for the Birthing of Giants Regional Cohort (birthingofgiants.com/regional-cohorts), a selective fellowship program for growth-focused founders and CEOs building high-impact companies. He is also the creator of The R.E.C.L.A.I.M. Code (Elite Personal Optimization Framework for divorced high performers). His proprietary 6-stage framework helps divorced founders rebuild identity, attract aligned love, and ignite purpose-driven business performance.

As the founder of woom bikes USA, Mathias built one of North America’s fastest-growing direct-to-consumer kids’ bike companies, earning multiple Inc. 5000 honors—including a 742% three-year growth rate in 2020—and recognition as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. In 2021, he played a pivotal role in merging the U.S. and European operations, leading the combined $100M global business as CEO in 2022 and 2023. His leadership has been recognized with honors such as Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist and the Vistage Impact Leadership Award.

A graduate of the Birthing of Giants Fellowship Program, Mathias brings decades of expertise in entrepreneurship, business transformation, and conscious leadership. Through his coaching practice, he works with founders, executives, and high-achieving men navigating personal reinvention, guiding them through identity rebuilding, emotional mastery, business growth, and relationship alignment.

Today, Mathias mentors with SKU, invests in purpose-driven brands, and writes on his Substack—sharing hard-earned lessons, strategic insight, and stories from his journey building global brands and leading life transformations.